A year in review: the impacts of post-consumer regulation on UK social housing
The impacts of post-consumer regulation on UK social housing
15 Months On: The Impact of the New Consumer Regulation Framework in Social Housing
Fifteen months after the implementation of the Consumer Regulation Framework under the Social Housing Regulation Act 2023, the landscape of social housing in the UK is shifting.
Designed to put tenants at the forefront of housing decisions, these regulations aim to drive improved services to tenants – including the quality of homes, safety standards, and tenant engagement.
However, as with any large-scale regulatory change, challenges and variations in how landlords have responded have emerged.
This blog from Angela Holden, Director of Regulatory Engagement at The Regulator of Social Housing, explores the early impacts of these regulations – what landlords are doing well, the challenges still faced, and the lessons that can steer the sector towards enhanced tenant outcomes.
From the role of governance to the rising standards of health and safety, every insight points to one overarching goal: delivering a safe, fair, and respectful living environment for tenants.
What Was the Vision Behind Consumer Regulation?
The regulatory changes introduced in 2024 aimed to strengthen consumer protections and ensure tenants live in safety and dignity. The key goals included:
- Providing good-quality, safe homes for tenants.
- Enhancing tenant engagement and ensuring their voices are heard.
- Building a respectful and fair relationship between landlords and tenants.
- Establishing robust processes to handle tenant complaints and resolve issues promptly and effectively.
At the foundation of these regulations lies a fundamental principle:
No service is perfect, but landlords must demonstrate a commitment to addressing issues promptly and transparently when they arise.
What Have We Learned Since April 2024?
Wide Variation in Tenant Services
One of the most significant findings has been the considerable disparity across landlords in meeting consumer standards.
Some landlords have earned the higher consumer grade (C1), while others have faced challenges resulting in lower grades such as C3 and C4.
A gap is emerging between private registered providers and local authorities. While private providers have, on the whole, achieved higher consumer gradings, this is not unexpected given the pressures facing local authorities and their relative newness to this regulatory framework.
Commitment to Progress – But It Takes Time
The sector has shown strong willingness to adapt and improve, but the scale of some changes – such as tenant engagement structures and decency standards – requires time.
Understanding housing conditions, embedding tenant communication systems, and aligning internal processes are evolutionary, not instantaneous shifts.
Four Key Areas Driving Change
1. Governance as the Cornerstone of Success
Good governance is critical for driving positive outcomes for tenants.
Robust leadership and oversight mechanisms ensure landlords manage risks effectively and deliver on their responsibilities.
One emerging best practice, particularly among local authorities, is the creation of independent Housing Oversight Boards. These boards enhance transparency, accountability, and independent challenge -ensuring tenant needs remain central to decision-making.
2. Focus on Health and Safety Compliance
Ensuring tenant safety remains a regulatory priority, yet compliance levels are inconsistent.
While progress has been made in gas and fire safety, gaps persist in electrical safety and newer legal requirements such as carbon monoxide and smoke alarm standards.
Addressing these gaps demands continued vigilance and proactive effort from all housing providers.
3. Enhancing Tenant Engagement
Tenant engagement has seen innovative approaches, including customer committees, resident panels, and tailored communication initiatives.
However, embedding these practices into governance structures and ensuring they function effectively – takes time, consistency, and leadership support.
4. Data Quality and Transparency
Accurate and reliable data is fundamental to improving outcomes for tenants.
Many landlords are undertaking data cleansing and investing in systems to strengthen decision-making.
Examples include the use of:
- Tenant Satisfaction Metrics (TSM)
- Stock condition surveys
- Real-time reporting tools
These data-driven approaches help shape services around tenant needs and provide greater accountability.
Challenges Still Ahead
Decency Standards
While the overall decency of homes is improving, with non-decent homes in the private registered sector falling from 12% (2019) to 9% (2023) progress is slower among local authorities.
The challenge lies not only in identifying areas of concern but also in securing the resources and capacity to address them effectively.
Complaints Handling
Complaints remain a pain point for tenants.
A lack of clear, consistent processes can frustrate residents and erode trust.
To build stronger relationships, landlords must:
- Resolve complaints efficiently and empathetically.
- Extract key learning points to prevent future issues.
- Communicate outcomes clearly and promptly.
Early Signs of Progress
Improved Tenant Satisfaction
Evidence shows landlords are prioritising service improvements to boost tenant satisfaction.
By analysing TSM feedback, many are making changes to better align with tenant expectations.
Further analysis of the second year of TSM data is expected in Autumn 2025.
Reducing Non-Decent Homes
The decline in non-decency rates and the rise in stock condition survey coverage are encouraging signs.
For example, coverage in the private registered sector has increased by 7%, reflecting a sector-wide commitment to understanding housing conditions better.
What Landlords Can Do to Improve Outcomes for Tenants
- Foster an organisational culture of improvement: Leadership that prioritises tenant outcomes and transparency sets the stage for success. Both frontline and executive teams must commit to continuous improvement.
- Strengthen data systems: Robust, real-time data ensures informed decision-making on satisfaction, property condition, and service delivery.
- Listen to tenants: The tenant voice must influence all levels of decision-making. Use complaint trends, surveys, and direct feedback to shape services.
- Plan and communicate clearly: When services fall short, tenants value honesty and a clear roadmap for improvement. Transparent communication builds trust and long-term engagement.
Moving Forward
Fifteen months into the consumer regulation framework, the social housing sector is making strides toward a fairer, safer, and more respectful environment for tenants.
Success requires sustained commitment from landlords to strengthen governance, improve decency standards, handle complaints better, and use data intelligently.
Above all, it demands a tenant-first mindset, where every decision and action focuses on improving the quality of life for those who call social housing their home.
Presented at PfH Live 2025
Angela Holden
Director of Regulatory Engagement, The Regulator of Social Housing
Angela leads the Regulator’s consumer regulation work and plays a key role in delivering the Social Housing White Paper’s reforms.